The invention relates to a data carrier having an IC module, which IC module comprises the parts specified hereinafter, i.e. a substrate means, and a conductor configuration connected to the substrate means, and an IC connected to the substrate means, and connecting leads between the conductor configuration and the IC, and a cover of an electrically insulating material, which cover shrouds the IC and the connecting leads and the portions of the conductor configuration which are electrically connected to the connecting leads, and which data carrier is equipped with a protection means that provides protection against damage to at least a part of the IC module when the IC module is bent or twisted.
Such a data carrier of the type defined in the opening paragraph and such an IC module of the type defined in the second paragraph are known, for example from the patent document EP 0 211 360 B1. In accordance with these known solutions the data carrier has a protection means which is separate from the IC module of the data carrier, which protection means is a reinforcement means, which may consist of a variety of materials and which in view of its reinforcement function has an increased resistance to excessive deformations of the data carrier and thus fulfils its protective function for the data carrier and the IC module included in the data carrier. According to the known solution the protective function of the protection means is obtained only once the IC module has been incorporated in the data carrier while with the IC module not yet incorporated in the data carrier no protective function for the IC module and the parts of the IC module is guaranteed.
It is an object of the invention to solve the afore-mentioned problems and to provide an improved data carrier and an improved IC module.
According to the invention, in order to achieve the object described above, a data carrier of the type defined in the opening paragraph is characterized in that the protection means forms a part of the IC module, and the protection means consists of a ductile material.
Moreover, according to the invention, in order to achieve the aforementioned object, an IC module of the type defined in the second paragraph is characterized in that the IC module is equipped with a protection means that provides protection against damage to at least a part of the IC module when the IC module is bent or twisted, and the protection means consists of a ductile material, and the protection means is formed by a layer-shaped cap which is encased in the cover up to the substrate means.
With the aid of the solutions in accordance with the invention it is achieved that by the use of simple means which can be realized simply an IC module of a data carrier and the parts of this IC module are protected very effectively against bending or twisting already before such an IC module is incorporated in a data carrier, which is very advantageous because this already provides a protective function before incorporation of such an IC module in a data carrier, so that even a non-incorporated IC module is protected against undesirable negative influences.
In the construction in accordance with the invention the cap provided as a protective means envelops the cover up to the substrate means. In this respect it is emphasized that the cap may be constructed in such a manner that it can shroud not only the cover but also a portion of the substrate means adjacent the cover. Furthermore, the construction can be such that the cap provided as a protection means does not extend completely up to the substrate means but that a narrow portion of the cover adjacent the substrate means is not covered by the cap.
It has proved to be very advantageous when a data carrier in accordance with the invention and an IC module in accordance with the invention in addition have the characteristic features as defined in claim 2 and in claim 4, respectively. Such a construction has the advantage that it saves material and, moreover, such a construction ensures that deformation stresses acting in different directions are absorbed very effectively.
The aforementioned as well as further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the embodiment described hereinafter by way of example and will be elucidated with reference to this example.